Track type tractor



y N. o. PANZEGRAU 2,002,274

TRACK TYPE TRACTOR Filed Feb. 23, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 M y 1935- N.- o. PANZEGRAU 2,002,274-

TRACK TYPE TRACTOR Filed Feb. 23, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 2 1, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TRACK ms moron- Norman 0. Panzegrau, Chicago, IlL, assignor to International Harvester Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application February 23, 1934, Serial No. 712,504

6 Claims. (Cl. 305-9) The invention relates to improved'means for Figure 1 is a general side elevational view of supporting the main body of a track type tractor th tractor yin th impr v q li r; on the truck or tra k frames, Figure 2 is a general plan view on a reduced In this connection the usual practice is to With p rtions of the track broken away to 5 mount the body on the track frames at three w the ends f h q l z r Sp r in on 5 points of suspension, so that, when the tractor t t u or t ack f a e; travels over un v r d, th i frame Figure 3 is a detail, general front elevational body will not be unduly strained and twisted. view with parts in section to w t qua e Thus, each track frame is pivoted at its rear to Seen approximately along the l e 3-3 appear- 10 the body for'two points of suspension, and a ing in Figure 2 when viewed in the direction of 10 transverse equalizer bar has its ends resting on a forward portion of the track frames with the 4 1S a fragmentary Sectlonal VleW body pivotally connected t t equalizer bar gltudinally of the body to show a cross section midway and centrally between its ends for the of the equalizer as Seen along the line epthird point of suspension. P rin n Figure 3, and looking in h indi- 15 In the smaller weight tractors, a relatively cated directionsmall diameter pivot pin sumces for the third The tractor Shown is of a common yp havpoint of support. However, in the larger, heavy i a body or fra in carrying the usual p duty tractors, it is desirable to employ a much Structure and having Opp site sides of its rear end stronger third point pivotal mounting, and acin weight bearing relati n to h al tw p- 20 cordingly the present invention more particularroller truck track f es l These 1y relates to an improved third point mounting Points o suspending the b y a e through P v of the type mentioned for the heavier duty crawlfor P t y connecting e rear ends of the er t a t track frames ii to the body Ill. The front end The main object of the invention, therefore, is of each track frame ll carries an idler Wheel 25 to provide an improved third point support for and the bo y at its rear e d on each side t t of t type mentione carries a driving sprocket wheel [4, there being Another object is to provide such a paint of the usual endless track enveloping the support which 111 eliminate t usual pivot pin. framel l and wheels l3 and M on each side. The Further it is an object to provide such point two pivotal points i2 thus permit each crawler 30 of Support combined with a l f Spring type of unit to rise and fall lndependently to conform equalizer ban to ground contour as is common in these tractors. Still further, it is an object to provide a com- Therfaquahzer bar 13 leaf Sprmg assembly pact arrangement for Such support extending transversely through a tunnel I1 Other objects will become apparent to those formed t under side of the .body said 35 versed in this art as the disclosure is more fully bar havmg its ends loosely and shdably resting made on the transversely rounded rests l8 secured to Such objects are achieved briefly in providing 3 :32 2 5; g zgg gz i gfi 'i f g gifig g fifi f ggg fg ggg gg z ig figfi ii gfi end to prevent the spring ends from leaving the 40 tween an upper and lower Saddle block, which rests l8. These brackets also act as rebound clips so as to limit the main frame of the tractor blocks include rounded pivot portlons fitting respectively into upper and lower pad members from too much rebound bounce through the flexghavmg a configuration to receive said rounded lble leaves of the equalizer spring. An improved pivot portions. The upper pad inember is fitted gggg gg g ig g g zz 2 3? g: into the bottom of the main body or frame and be described includes lubricating means, while the lower pad h equalizer leaf spring is an assembly, serves to secure the whole assembly to the frame pack f Separate leaf springs partly held together or dy in a mpa t m r a d p mits th by clinch clips 20, while the middle portion of 50 equalizer spring to rock pivotally about the t spring pack is securely m between an round d p r i s of t sadd s in p f rming its per saddle block 2| and a lower saddle block 22, third point supporting and equalizing functions. said blocks being channel shaped to embrace the In the accompanying sheets of drawings illusspring bar, as shown in Figure 4. Bolts 23 setrating a practicable example of the invention: curely clamp the upper and lower blocks and 55 spring together, while a countersunk screw bolt 24 is passed through the spring, as shown. The top saddle block 2| is formed with a rounded boss 25 that seats in a pad 26 having a concave, rounded depression to receive the boss 25 to form a free pivot surface. This pad 26 has an upward extension 21 slid into a vertical opening 28 in the floor of the frame or body 10.

Similarly, the lower saddle block 22 has a rounded boss 29 that fits a concave, rounded depression for pivotal movement in a lower pad 30 formed as a U-shaped bracket having flanges 3| securely bolted to the under side of the body, as shown in Figure 4. The depression in pad 30 acts the same in rebound as part 26 does in straight static load. This securely bolts the equalizer in load bearing relation to the body,

and compactly in the tunnel IT, as shown. Thebar I6 is, of course, free to pivot around the rounded bosses 25, 29 to form a flexible third point of support for the forward part of the body on the equalizer and track frames. This structure eliminates a physical pivot pin and provides a much larger pivot surface 25, 29 than a mere pin could provide. This is obviously desirable in a heavy tractor.

The body ID has a bore 32 in alignment with a bore 33 in the extension 21, and, further, a downward passage 34 leads to the top surface of the rounded boss 25 to lubricate and prevent frictional wear between the pad 26 and boss 25. The lubricant can, of course, also work down between the lower pad 30 and the rounded boss 29. A grease nipple 35 serves as the means for supplying the lubricant.

In use as the tractor traverses uneven ground the track frames ll rise and fall pivotally, and independently, about their pivots [2. Thus, as one frame ll rises or falls, it carries the adjacent end of the equalizer I6 with it, causing the bar l6 to pivot about the third point of support; that is, the round bosses 25, 29 rock in their respective pads. This provides a sturdy load support for the forward weight of the body and provides the required flexibility to prevent twisting the main frame or body. It is to be noted that the rounded surfaces 25, 29 of the saddle members comprise surface portions of a common cylinder whose center is located centrally between said rounded surface portions as shown in Figure 3. Thus, in a sense, a relatively large cylinder becomes the pivot instead of the heretofore used relatively small pivot pin. Such large pivot is highly desirable in practice as it makes for a smooth pivot action and transmits the load to the side trucks better than the usual relatively small pivot pin.

[It is the intention to cover all changes not departing from the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A tractorhaving a body and a pair of track frames pivotally connected at their rear ends to support the body thereon at two points, an equalizer spring carried transversely across the track frames and under the body, upper and lower saddle blocks clamped around the spring, said blocks having rounded portions formed as surfaces of a common cylinder whose axis is between the saddle blocks, and a lower pad member secured to the body and including a complementary rounded portion to receive the rounded portion of the lower saddle block whereby the equalizer may pivot on the body and form a central load support therefor.

2. A tractor having a body and a pair of track frames pivotally connected at their rear ends to support the body thereon at two points, an equalizer spring carried transversely across the track frames and under the body, upper and lower saddle blocks clamped around the spring, said blocks having rounded portions formed as surfaces of revolution having a commonaxis, an upper pad member between the body and the upper saddle block, said upper pad member having a rounded portion to receive the rounded portion on the upper saddle block, a lower pad member having a rounded portion complementary to and receiving the rounded portion of the lower saddle block, and means to secure the lower pad member to the body to hold the equalizer in pivotal weight carrying relationship to the body.

3. A tractor having a body and a pair of track frames pivotally connected at their rear ends to support the body thereon at two points, an equalizer spring carried transversely across the track frames and under the body, upper and lower saddle blocks clamped around the spring, said blocks having rounded portions which are formed as surfaces of a common cylinder, an upper pad member between the body and the upper saddle block, said upper pad member having a rounded portion to receive the rounded portion on the upper saddle block, said upper pad having an upward extension slidably fitted into the body, a lower pad member having a rounded portion complementary to and receiving the rounded portion of the lower saddle block, and means to secure the lower pad member to the body to hold the equalizer in pivotal weight carrying relationship to the body. 7

4. A tractor having a body and a pair of track frames pivotally connected at their rear ends to support the body thereon at two points, an equalizer spring carried transversely across the track frames and under the body, upper and lower saddle blocks clamped around the spring, said blocks having rounded portions which are formed as surfaces of a common cylinder, a pad having a rounded recess to fit the rounded portion of the upper block, said pad being located between the body and upper block, a second pad having a rounded recess to fit the rounded portion of the lower block, means to supply lubricant to the upper pad and distribute it to the rounded 0 contact portions, and means to secure the lower pad to the body to hold the equalizer in pivotal weight carrying relationship to the body.

5. A tractor having a body and a pair of track frames pivotally associated at their rear ends with the body to support the same, said body having a transversetunnel formed in its under side, a transverse equalizer spring carried under the body and through the tunnel and having its ends supported respectively on the track frames, an upper and a lower saddle block clamped to the spring, said blocks having rounded portions which are formed as surfaces of a common cylinder, a pad above the spring having a rounded recess to receive the rounded portion of the adjacent saddle block, a pad below the spring having a rounded recess to receive the rounded portion of its adjacent saddle block, and means to secure the lower pad to the body to hold the equalizer in the tunnel in pivotal weight carrying relationship to the body.

6. A tractor having a body and a pair of track frames pivotally associated at their rear ends with the body to support the same, said body having a transverse tunnel formed in its under side, a transverse equalizer spring carried under the body and through the tunnel and having its ends supported respectively on the track frames, an upper and a lower saddle block clamped to the spring, said blocks having rounded portions which are formed as surfaces of a common cylinder, a pad above the spring having a rounded recess to receive the rounded portion of the adjacent saddle block, said upper pad hav- 10 ing an extension extending upwardly and movably mounted in the body, a pad below the spring having a rounded recess to receive the rounded portion of the adjacent saddle block, said lower pad having flanges bolted to the body to hold the equalizer in the tunnel in pivotal weight carrying relationship to the body, and means to direct lubricant to the rounded pivotal weight carrying portions. 

